


The Vertibird Incident

by radbeetle



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Fire, Gen, Serious Injuries, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:14:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22177627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radbeetle/pseuds/radbeetle
Summary: Just when you think maybe you've got a handle on everything, that you've found your way in this new world, that you know what you're doing, it all comes crashing down.'It', in this case, being a Brotherhood vertibird.And your life goes up in flames...
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	1. Out of the Frying Pan...

**Author's Note:**

> this fic had a serious title once, but i've been referring to it as 'the vertibird incident' for so long now that it's stuck. (the serious title is now reflected in this chapter name, though. (or, well, to some level of 'serious')) people who follow my tumblr have undoubtedly seen this referenced.
> 
> its a retelling of actual in-game events that turned out to be kind of pivotal to my character and which kicked off basically my entire realization that i could tell stories here. kind of monumental.
> 
> there is, technically, more to this story, but additional chapters still remain unfinished. they may manifest here eventually. still, given that the day of upload marks the second anniversary of all this going down in my game, i wanted to get at least this much of it out.

Katherine crouched on the hillside, steadying her laser rifle as she peered through the scope towards the water treatment plant. She wondered for a moment if it were possible to get it up and running again, after two hundred years of neglect... well, she thought, it wasn't likely right now.

A sizable gang of super mutants had holed up in the place. They'd been there for a while, judging by the fortifications - and they were getting a little too bold. Kate had heard about raids on a nearby farm. She wanted to put a stop to it before anyone got seriously hurt.

So, here she was, hunkered down on a dirty hill, Valentine by her side as she assessed the situation. The mutants weren't the brightest, but that didn't matter when you had a half dozen of them all bearing down on you.

"Should have brought something a little more heavy duty for this..." she muttered. "I'm not sure how I feel about our odds with this." She sat up and pulled away from the scope.

"You've certainly beaten the odds before," Nick pointed out.

"Maybe, but I don't want to make a habit of running headfirst into trouble."

"A little late for that."

Katherine's soft laughter was interrupted by the steady percussion of a vertibird's rotors.

"Talk about great timing." She squinted up as the vertibird circled the encampment, minigun spinning up. "You'd think they'd keep me in the loop, you know, let me know what their plans are. I guess not."

"They never were very forthcoming with their information. They're a real pain in the ass."

"I'd call that the understatement of the century, but who knows what I missed while I was locked up in the freezer?" Kate frowned as she saw the telltale red laser pulses - but they were coming from the plant down below.

This didn't pass unnoticed by Nick, either. "Maybe you were on to something - those guys look better equipped than we thought."

The sudden explosion of one of the vertibird's rotors shook the ground beneath them and lit up the sky. Katherine's only response was a breathless "Shit...". Smoke poured from the failing aircraft as the pilot struggled to regain control, desperate to bring the bird down safely. Kate glanced up through the scope of her rifle, trying to get a read on the situation. It only took a moment for her to pick up on the panic of the brotherhood passengers.

"This is not going to end well." Katherine dropped her rifle and took off running before it even hit the ground. The vertibird was heading for a cleared patch of dirt near the hill, and she aimed to meet it there. She may not have been too keen on the Brotherhood, but she wasn't going to leave the men - possibly injured - alone with the super mutants just across the way.

"So, what was that about not running into trouble?" Nick grimaced as he watched Kate sprint across the grass. There really was no stopping her, sometimes. He took a moment to retrieve the laser rifle before heading off after her, though he wasn't in any particular rush to meet up with the Brotherhood.

The whine of the damaged rotor grew in pitch and volume, to an ear-piercing shriek. Katherine skidded to a stop and turned her attention upwards to the vertibird.

She was just in time to see the rotor explode again, sending the entire aircraft off-balance. Shrapnel and flames rained down as the vertibird veered wildly off-course, any hope of a safe landing lost.

Kate had only a split second to realize that running off immediately to help, maybe that wasn't the wisest decision.

She threw herself to the dirt only a moment before the bird impacted, engulfing the entire hillside in flames.

Everything turned to noise and light, the acrid smell of smoke filling the air. Burnt fuel, burnt grass... Burnt flesh.

The roar of the fire was only background to the screams - whose? There were voices - several at first, but after what felt like hours, all but one fell silent.

"Katherine!"

Kate gasped, the air scorching her throat as she was snapped back to her very unpleasant reality. Her attempted reply was strangled by the smoke in the air.

_"Katherine!"_

The voice again. Closer, now. More urgent. She thrashed, trying to clear herself from the wreckage. The pain ripping through her right side told her that was absolutely not a good idea.

She rolled to the left, desperate to escape the blaze around her. As she landed on her front, pain once again shot down her right arm; Kate was suddenly very aware of the shrapnel lodged in her shoulder, the blood pouring down her chest, and the flames eating through her vault suit.

Katherine shifted her weight to her left side as she dragged herself through the dirt, eyes locked on a gap where there had once been a cockpit. Every muscle in her body burned as she pulled herself through the shattered window.

She yelped as someone's hands wrapped tightly around her left arm, as she was roughly hauled out of the wreckage and across the ground. Finally clear of the blaze, she took a deep breath - and doubled over in pain. It took every ounce of strength she had not to scream. There was a tiny part of her mind still coherent enough to realize that pain was probably a broken rib - amongst everything else. She took another, shallower breath, vaguely aware of someone next to her, of hands reaching towards her, and -

"HRGHK."

Katherine was _acutely_ aware of the stimpak being jabbed into her chest. Adrenaline shot through her system and the whole world snapped back into focus. She gasped, involuntarily; the pain wasn't as sharp this time. The stimpak was doing its job.

"Son of a - Katherine. Look at me." Nick's voice got her attention, and she turned to face him, wincing at the pain in her right shoulder. A hand shot up, meeting the razor edged shard of metal embedded there.

She uttered a breathless curse as her fingers came away coated with blood. "Ohhh, that's not good. Nothing about this is good, Nick."

"You think I don't know that? What have you gotten yourself into this time..."

"You say that like..." Kate took a slow, deep breath and pushed herself into a more upright position, trying to keep herself steady. "You say that like this happens regularly." She tried not to laugh, aware of how much that would hurt.

"Well, if I'm gonna be honest..." Nick reached out for Katherine, to place gotta hand on her... he hesitated, seeing the charred and torn patches on her vault suit - he was sure whatever damage lay hidden underneath was severe. "We've got to get you out of here, and fast. As dumb as those super mutants are, they're bound to come poking around here once the flames start dying out." He gingerly placed a hand on her right side.

A sharp intake of breath was enough to tell him that was a bad idea.

"Other side, please." Katherine guided him, as politely as possible. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and with his help, struggled to her feet.

"Oberland Station is just across the river to the east. If we head south first we can cross over the dam and..."

" _Nick._ " Kate interrupted, drawing attention to the howl of a mutant hound echoing through the hills. "Maybe we should go."

"There's no 'maybe' about it."

* * *

The dam was only a quick trek to the south, though between Kate's injuries and the rough terrain, progress was slow.

There was an unexpected benefit to the firefight they had witnessed - it seemed to have scared off the local wasteland critters. There was no sign of life, not even a mole rat, as they crossed the dam.

Katherine staggered across the cracked concrete, kept upright by sheer force of will - and a helping hand.

Adrenaline can only get one so far.

She never wanted to complain. Kate would grit her teeth and carry on until she dropped from exhaustion, and right now, that wasn't too far off. It was evident as her pace slowed, as her steps grew unsteady. After all the time they had travelled together, Valentine knew her stubborn side well - and that it wasn't always good for her. The steep hills between them and Oberland Station were a good enough reason to stop for the night.

Nick indicated the empty scavenger camp ahead of them, nestled in a corner at the end of the dam. A long extinguished campfire and a bit of shelter provided by a makeshift awning. "Might be worth stopping for the night. I know you're not keen on travelling in the dark."

Katherine leant against the wall for a moment before lowering herself to sit on one of the crates. "I think that's advice worth taking." She chuckled weakly, placing a hand on the shard of metal still stuck in her shoulder. There was a quiet moment before she spoke up. "We might have to do something about this... You ever sutured a wound?"

The look of alarm on Nick's face was answer enough. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Can't leave it in there forever..." Katherine inhaled sharply as she touched the injury - her head was starting to spin. The stimpak's effects were already starting to wear off. "Maybe travelling light was a mistake."

It only took a moment for Nick to produce a syringe from somewhere within his trenchcoat. Kate raised an inquiring eyebrow, recognizing the distinctive color of Med-X.

"You'd be surprised what you can find if you keep an eye out." He offered.

She soon had the syringe in her side - Med-X had always been quick acting. A pouch at her side contained supplies pilfered from a centuries old first aid kit. Nothing substantial; anything valuable had been taken long before, but she had kept the packet of needles and suture thread. Kate had hoped it wouldn't see use. Clearly that wasn't the case.

"It's no different than sewing cloth." This was definitely not true, but now was not the time to be particular about technique. Someone with more experience could fix her up once they reached a settlement.

Nick frowned - putting his friend back together was a much more daunting task than coat repair. He started to ask once again, "Are you sure about - Katherine!"

He was interrupted by her yelp - with one yank she had removed the inches-long piece of vertibird from herself. Blood oozed from the wound. "Don't think about it too hard... just do it." She mumbled, partially to herself, partially to her companion. She leaned back against the concrete wall, staring upwards, away from the needle and thread looping through her skin. The painkillers made her head foggy; maybe for the best. It kept away the feeling of dread.

The sharp tug of thread being knotted signalled that the job was done. She felt a hand on her cheek, fingers delicate around the burns crossing the side of her face. Even the lightest touch sent a jolt of pain through her, and instinct drove her to flinch away.

"I'm sorry..." Nick murmured, as Kate lay against the wall, exhausted, in pain, and about ready to give in.

She managed a weak laugh. "You've got nothing to apologize for." She closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing. She knew she wasn't going to be able to get back on her feet. Not any time soon. There was always worry at the back of her mind, but tonight had turned it to a deep fear. Part of her dreaded trying to sleep - what if she never saw the morning?

She was pulled out of her thoughts by Valentine's familiar voice. "I'm gonna need you to try and get some rest. Think you can manage that?" The concern in his voice and on his face were in stark contrast to his lighthearted words.

"Only if you promise to wake me up in the morning. Still haven't figured out how to set the alarm on my pip-boy."

* * *

The morning arrived quickly for Katherine; between the exhaustion and painkillers, she had fallen asleep within what felt like moments.

The first thing she felt was the warmth of the sun on her face, though it was only a moment before she was aware of the ache in every bone, every muscle. The events of the previous night came rushing back to her, as did the pain. Kate groaned as she shifted her weight - she hadn't moved an inch as she slept, and found herself still sitting back against the concrete.

Her left hand clutched at the fabric draped over her, the world finally coming back into focus. She looked down to determine what the material was. Her fingers ran across the heavy material and patchwork repairs on an old trench coat, one that she was quite familiar with.

Katherine's right arm hung at her side - she tried for a moment to lift it, to shift her weight on it and get to her feet. The pain that shot through her told her how bad an idea that was, and she collapsed back with a yelp. The sound caught Nick's attention almost instantly; Knowing that Kate had woken up was a relief, but he'd rather not have her hurting herself. It was only a moment before he was at her side.

"... morning." She offered, voice weak. The burns stretching across her face were still blistered and raw, and now that the shock and adrenaline had worn off, she was acutely aware of the pain caused by every movement. Her eyes followed Valentine as he approached, crouching down next to her. Any other day, Katherine would have smiled; Nick without his coat on was a rare sight. Her fingers curled around the collar as she moved to return it.

He gently lifted the trenchcoat, careful to avoid Kate's injuries. He scanned the burns, gaze lingering for a moment on the torn vault suit, seams torn and edges charred across her right side. He frowned as her saw the uneven sutures across her shoulder, thinking back to last night. Not an experience he'd care to repeat. With the coat folded in his arms, he spoke up.

"That was one rough night. Let's hope we're past the worst of it."

Katherine uttered something unpleasant under her breath add she tried again to sit upright, to get to her feet. "I think..." she took a deep breath and pushed herself up, isn't the concrete wall behind her back as leverage. "That might be a bit of an understatement."

Nick raised an eyebrow. He hadn't even gotten a change to open his mouth and offer her a hand before she was on her feet. 'Determined' was a good word to describe Kate. Maybe 'stubborn', too. He stood beside her, keeping watch, ready to steady her if she needed it.

"You look like you want to get out of here." He paused, noting the wobble in her steps. "Katherine... are you sure you're up for it?" There was concern in his voice. Any other day, he knew she could handle herself - for the most part - but after last night... the flaming vertibird wreckage still burned bright in his memory, alongside the fear the accident had brought - the fear of loss, of a single moment taking away everything.

He thought for a moment on the weeks they had spent together. It wasn't often he found himself so... _fond_ of someone.

Katherine's response pulled him out of his thoughts. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can collapse. Oh my god. I am hurting in places I didn't even know could hurt." It was only sheer force of will keeping her going at this point, and she didn't know how much longer that would last. Her vision was hazy, and it felt like the world was about to drop out from under her feet.

"Katherine?" Nick's voice echoed in her ears, far away, while everything went dark.

* * *

As the sun rose, Katherine found herself awake in a familiar bed, gazing up through holes in the ceiling to a misty morning sky.

She took a few minutes to gather her thoughts, raising her arm to check her pip-boy.

Which was not there. She nearly smacked herself in the face, finding her arm much lighter than she expected. Kate didn't have the strength in her to be worried about the missing gear - if anything, she was more concerned as to where her glasses had gone. She reached to her face, with a little more caution this time, only to find it wrapped in bandages.

This was not how she left it, she thought.

For that matter, this was also not where she had expected to wake up. Even at the best of times, her memory wasn't great, and right now, everything was a blur. Everything swirled around her head. The water treatment plant, the vertibird... the fire. Past that, everything was patchy. Just bits and pieces, brief images of places - the dam, Oberland Station, bridges...

It was a mess - and so was she. Kate struggled to sit upright, finding her right arm, too, was wrapped in bandages, slung and bound against her chest to restrict movement. The deep ache in her shoulder, reaching down to her fingertips, reminded her all too clearly how dangerous her life had become.

She had only just sat up when a synthesized voice cried out from the doorway behind her. "Oh, Madame, you're awake! Please do be careful, your injuries are quite severe!" Kate turned to look over her shoulder, and winced - the burns travelling across her neck were still raw and painful.

Curie approached, one claw reaching towards Katherine, gesturing for her to stay seated. For once, Kate stayed put. She trusted Curie, knowing the robot had proven herself a competent doctor - or at least, the closest you'd find in the commonwealth now.

"Curie... was this you?" Kate ran a hand across the bandages wrapped around her.

"Ah, yes! But I cannot take all the credit. When you returned with Monsieur Valentine, many of your friends offered their assistance." Curie paused for a moment, one eye swivelling to peer out the window frame, across the streets of Sanctuary Hills. "You are lucky to have such wonderful companions. They have all been quite worried about you." Katherine looked up to meet Curie's artificial gaze, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Especially Monsieur Valentine. I think he is quite fond of you, though I doubt he would admit this."

Kate felt her cheeks flush, and for a moment was quite glad about the bandages that hid her reaction from Curie.

She quickly decided to change the topic. "How long was I out? I don't... mmm, where's my glasses?"

Curie was quick to present the missing eyewear. "I kept them safe for you, of course! I am surprised they are still intact after what you have been through, _mon dieu_!"

It took a few moments for Katherine's vision to adjust to her glasses once again. She blinked a few times as the world came back into focus.

"Ah, and as for your other question, a little under two days. Forty-two hours, if you would like a more precise measurement."

"No, that's... urgh, that's so long." Katherine mumbled to herself, stretching her legs and readying herself to stand once again. "I've gotta get back out there..."

"Uh-uh. I don't think so." Preston leant against the door frame, watching Katherine closely. "You need to take it easy."

She twisted around to face him - a bad idea, the shooting pain in her ribs told her. She clenched her jaw for a moment before the pain subsided. "Preston, how long have you been there?"

He stepped out of the way, letting Curie exit the room. "I should inform the others!" she declared as she left.

"Bringing good news for a change." Preston chuckled, before turning his attention back to Kate. "Been listening in long enough to know your stubborn self wants to get outta here. I think everyone could have figured that out, though."

"You know me too well."

"If you'll let me be serious for a moment... it is good to see you up." Preston frowned, looking off to the side as he spoke. "When Valentine dragged you in here... you were in rough shape. Some of us were worried you weren't going to make it. Glad to see you proving people wrong yet again."

Kate put her face in her hands and groaned. "Oh geez... Nick. Where - where is he?" She pushed herself to her feet, a little unsteady.

"Easy there." Preston approached, placing a hand on her uninjured shoulder. "I suppose he's been keeping busy. I've seen him around a few times, though I'm not sure where he's at now. Doubt he's gone too far."

"I've gotta... hmngh." Pain shot down her side as she tried to take a step. She wrapped her arm around Preston in response, to keep herself upright. "Maybe I will slow down a bit."

* * *

Sanctuary was quiet, as it always had been; a different sort of quiet since Katherine had left Vault 111, of course. Even now, with people calling it home for the first time in two hundred years, the only noise was the quiet background rumble of makeshift generators tucked away behind some of the houses.

"Sturges has been working on a water purifier, down by the bridge." Preston offered. "He's hoping to have it up and running within the week. It'd go a long way towards making Sanctuary a little more independent."

Katherine followed alongside Preston, clinging to him for balance. She didn't have much choice but to stick close; If she wandered off on her own she was pretty sure she'd topple over. The water purifier was good news, of course, but she was distracted. Other things on her mind. Other people.

This didn't stop her from accompanying Preston down the street, towards the river. She gazed at the empty, battered shells that one belonged to her neighbours. During her first few weeks out in the wasteland, she couldn't bring herself to even enter them; it wasn't until she had returned with Passion and Sturges, Jun and Marcy, and Mama Murphy, that she had been inside anyone's house but her own.

Together they had cleaned out most of the homes - no, houses. That had been difficult. Not physically, but emotionally. Seeing these places that had once been so full of life, now nothing but ruined, empty shells... it had driven home how much the world had changed.

Katherine had dreams of repairing the houses, and rebuilding. She knew they would never quite be the same. She knew she could never return them to what they once were.

 _Especially not now_ , she realized. Not in her current condition. She rolled her shoulder back, slowly, in an attempt to fight off the persistent, painful sting. _Maybe not ever_ was the worrying thought that came to mind.

And that thought brought her to a sudden halt, as the severity of the past few days finally sunk in. A sharp intake of breath as she felt her legs give out underneath her.

Preston had no warning, no chance to react before Katherine had grabbed a hold of his coat in a desperate, but ultimately ineffective attempt to keep herself standing.

The jolt of pain that tore through her as she hit the concrete knocked her senseless for a good few moments. The world stopped spinning, slowly, and she tried to blink the tears from her eyes. Preston stood above her, calling her name. "Katherine? Katherine, what happened? Can you hear me?" She managed a faint wheeze in response; the impact had knocked the air out of her lungs.

Preston's face began to come into focus, as did the look of concern. Maybe he should have insisted she stay inside for the day.

The sound of footsteps drew Katherine's attention away from Preston; she looked towards the source, still bleary-eyed.

"What's all the racket about - _oh._ " The patter of shoes against concrete sped up as the owner approached. Kate could pick that voice out anywhere.

"Hi Nick." was her weak response.

"This really isn't how I wanted to learn you were awake." he chided, though there was genuine tone of concern. Crouching down next to Katherine, he questioned her. "What have you done to yourself now?"

"Fell down." Still aching from the fall, she struggled to sit upright. Nick reached out to offer help, but the layers of bandages wrapped around her made him hesitant. It wasn't long before she had propped herself up, though.

"Maybe try to avoid that in the future."

Katherine couldn't help but laugh. "It's not something I planned on." She shifted her weight and sat splay-legged, trying to find a comfortable position on the concrete road. "I'm glad to see you're okay."

Valentine scoffed. "I should be saying that to you. You've got more important things to worry about than me."

Sheepish, she looked away. "I don't know, I think you're pretty important."

Her words hung in the air for a moment, and Nick was certain he would have turned red, if he could.

"Well, maybe." He wrapped his hands around her left arm - the one free from bandages - and helped pull Kate to her feet. "Come on, let's find you somewhere more comfortable."

Katherine's stamina quickly ran low, and it wasn't long before she had settled back down in bed. Sleep... well, she couldn't get comfortable enough for that.

Nick stood out on the sun bleached steps to her home, leaning against the door frame, eyes following Preston as he paced across the lawn.

"Something on your mind, Garvey?"

"There's always something." He sighed. "I can't remember the last time I saw someone make it through with that kind of injury."

"Be glad you weren't there when it happened." Valentine's reply was a little curt, though he quickly softened. "She's made it this far, and that's a good sign. Besides, we've got Curie. That Miss Nanny knows more about healthcare than the rest of us put together." Nick wondered how much of this was to reassure Preston, and how much was to reassure himself.

"You're right, you're right. I'd say she's in good hands, but I don't think Curie has those." Preston's nervous chuckle broke the tension in the air. As rocky as the past few days had been for their friend, as much as he knew things could still take a turn for the worse, he knew Valentine had a point. That Katherine was still here was a damn good sign, and maybe holding up hope in the face of everything... maybe that was one of the most important things they could do for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have given up on the concept of chapter titles anyway here's kate not having a great time

The following days were quiet. Katherine's bold venture outside proved itself an isolated incident; after that, she didn't leave her house, or often, even her room.

Sanctuary stayed busy around her, with the occasional trader passing through to supplement Sturges' efforts to rebuild and reinforce the remaining houses.

And still she stayed inside, out of the way.

If you asked her - and you were someone she would confide in - Kate would say she shouldn't push herself.

It was more than that, though.

There was nothing she could do out there. Not like this.

She pressed her face into a pillow and groaned.

It was a painful reminder to her of just how out of place she was in this world. She had thought, maybe after these past few months, that she was starting to get her bearings... and that was all ripped away from her.

"Mum?"

Codsworth's interruption pulled her out of the downward spiral of her thoughts. She clutched the pillow in her lap and glanced over to him.

"Oh, you look positively dreadful."

He was almost certainly talking about the fact that she was on the verge of exhausted tears, but Katherine's thoughts went to the bandages wrapped around her raw wounds. "... thanks, Codsy."

"Have you eaten today? You know you _must_ keep your strength up. A hungry stomach won't help you get better!"

Kate was quiet. No, she hadn't eaten. A bad habit she thought she had quashed before the war.

Codsworth spoke again, his volume lower. "I must urge you to care for yourself. I know the past days have been... _difficult_ -"

"No shit." She was sullen, and the bite in her response was uncharacteristic.

Codsworth, however, was unphased. Out of everyone staying in Sanctuary, he was the most familiar with her moods. "But I believe you can pull through. Whatever you need of me, I'm here for you." The robot paused, one eye swiveling to peer through the tattered curtains. "We all are. Let us help."

Katherine didn't seem inclined to listen, and she went quiet once again.

\---

The door had been shut for just over a week now, Preston noted. He was certain Katherine was still inside - the comings and goings of Codsworth indicated that much. But all this time without a word from her had him concerned.

It was that concern that lead him here, standing at the front step. He wasn't usually one to intrude, but...

He knocked at the door, unsure if he'd get a response.

"Just a minute!" The voice that responded from inside was the synthesized british accent of a Mr. Handy. Codsworth, of course. One mechanized eye peered back at him through the slot on the door. "Ah, Mister Garvey. I'm afraid that Miss Vance isn't, er, taking any visitors at the moment."

"Yeah, I've noticed." Preston sighed. "That's what's got me worried, Codsworth."

The robot's eye bobbed a bit, and his response came at a lowered volume. "You're not the only one. She's managed to convince herself the only I'm trying to help is my blasted programming." He paused. "Well, there's certainly some truth to that, but..." Codsworth let out an electronic imitation of a sigh. "It doesn't make the effort any less genuine."

"If you're willing to lend a hand, Mister Garvey, I do believe the situation could benefit from a bit of the human touch." There was a quiet creak as the Mr Handy opened the door, looking from Preston to the living room.

\---

The knock on the doorframe caught Katherine's attention, though she hesitated before turning her attention to the source of the sound.

Codsworth never knocked.

She lifted her head just enough to glance towards the door, before curling back up, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Codsworth wasn't supposed to let anyone in," she mumbled.

"He thought it might be helpful." Preston offered. "He can't bear to see you like this. That robot's got more compassion than some humans out there."

Preston leaned against the wall - he still stood in the hallway. "I'd ask if you're doing okay, but I think we both know the answer."

Katherine didn't respond. Not at first. But, eventually... "You don't need to be here."

"Maybe. But maybe I _should_ be here."

"Not like there's anything that can be done. Not about this."

It was Preston's turn to fall silent. He was far too familiar with that feeling of defeat, and it was something he wouldn't wish on anyone else.

He stepped over, and placed a hand on her left shoulder, opposite the bandages, and the injuries underneath.

Her immediate reaction was to flinch and pull away, twisting in on herself - and that was a mistake. She gasped, eyes watering as pain shot through her side.

It was that touch, that reaction, and that pain which finally caused her to crack.

These weren't the soft, restrained tears Preston had seen on the first day they met - the only time he had seen her cry before now. This was... this was a flood, a broken dam. This was everything coming out at once, distress and fear and agony wrapped in wailing, harsh sobs. She choked on every word she tried to get out.

"I - I can't do this. I can't be here, I can't - it's all wrong. It's not -" She shuddered and gulped at the air, trying to hold back everything long enough to... to what? She didn't know what to say, what to do. Everything she grasped at just fell from her hands. She was lost in a flurry of fears that she couldn't articulate, and that scared her just as much as anything else. Ask the problems she couldn't even try to solve because she just didn't know what they were.

The noise was enough to alert Codsworth - one robotic eye peeked around the door frame. Preston shooed him with a gesture, and the robot vanished off to the rest of the house to fret in silence.

The aging mattress squeaked in faint protest as Preston took a seat next to Katherine.

"I - I never realize how bad it is until things all come crashing down," she moaned, "but it's not usually so literal." She scrunched her eyes shut and wiped away what tears she could, her breathing shaky as she tried to suppress her sobs.

Preston laid a hand on her back, careful to avoid the bandages still wrapped around her. "You've made it through, though, and there's something to be said about that."

Katherine's voice wavered. "That's... that's just luck. And - and I don't know if it's good luck, or bad."

"Not all of it. Some of it's on you, you know."

"Sometimes I'm not sure if that's for the best."

"It is. It will be. There isn't always a reason for everything you go through, but it'll all find its place. Everyone's made of what they've been through, good and bad. You've just gotta forge your way through it all."

Kate was quiet, except for the occasional sniffle.

"But you don't have to do it alone. I'm here for you. And I know others will be too. Just remember that, okay?"

Her voice was barely audible. "I can try."

"Sometimes that's all you can do."

"I just... want everything to go back to how it was. Nothing - it wasn't perfect. Nowhere near." She felt a pressure in her head and a tightness in her chest as she teetered on the edge of tears once again. "But I knew how it worked. It was... familiar. And safe."

And yet... "Until it wasn't. And - when people I don't even know just... tore it all down and -" she stumbled over her words again, and broke out crying once more.

Preston said nothing, and just stroked her back. There wasn't anything he could say. Not for this.

It was all the stress, the fear and anger, misery and turmoil of the past several months finally boiling over.

And Katherine knew that she had finally broken. That this had been coming for so long.

Faintly, in the back of her mind, she knew that she had to break like this before she could struggle back to... well, as close to normalcy as she could ever get.

But she wished she could do it alone. More than anything. She didn't want to drag anyone else through her misery. They didn't need to deal with this. They didn't need to see her go through it.

"Preston... I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You don't have anything to apologize for."

"This... I hate it. It all sucks."

"Yup. Tell you what. Let's just get you through today. We'll figure out tomorrow when we get there."


	3. Intermission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief discussion between a new friend, and an old one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a little exchange i had rattling around my head that didn't quite fit into any of the chapters

Despite all his bustling about, Codsworth was never hard to track down around Sanctuary. The humming - or more often, the soft rumble of his thrusters - gave him away.

There was something resembling a garden taking shape between the hedges, down towards the old footbridge. All crops, of course. Flowers grown for food and medicine. Codsworth had taken it upon himself to tend to them, whenever possible.

"Looks like someone's got a green thumb." Nick commented, leaning against the shabby, faded fence surrounding the plants.

"Well, it's certainly not me - I lack the requisite digits!" Codsworth turned his attention to the visitor, holding a bundle of plucked weeds. His response got a chuckle from the detective. "What brings you here on this fine day, mister Valentine?"

"It's Katherine." Nick got straight to the point. "I'm worried about her."

Codsworth paused his gardening tasks, aware that the conversation had taken a serious turn. "Understandable, sir." His synthesized voice became quiet. "I know I am as well."

"You've known her longer than I have. Hell, longer than anyone has. Figured you'd know best. Is..." he paused. Was he getting too involved? Was he prying too deeply? The drive to find answers was a damn good trait for a detective, but here... maybe he was asking too much. "Is this normal for her? She's been shut up inside for days. Hard to even get her to talk to me."

"You've gotten closer than most everyone else around here. The only people two people she's let in the past few days have been you and mister Garvey."

Nick was taken aback. "No kidding?"

Codsworth gestured. "Well, Curie and I as well, but that's... different, if I'm being honest." He continued. "As to if this is normal... she's never been through anything like this. A lot has changed in the world, from her point of view. Katherine has always had trouble adjusting, and this is quite a lot. Her life wasn't nearly as _hazardous_ in the past, but she has been prone to closing herself off."

It was Codsworth's turn to hesitate. "Perhaps I'm disclosing a bit much, but she really does consider you an important friend."

The Mr Handy's voice carried an air of sadness. "She doesn't have many of those. Never did."

They were both quiet for a moment.

"It's best to just be there for her. I promise you that means a lot to her, even if it may not seem that way."

"I'll keep that in mind."

It didn't take long for Codsworth to resume tending the garden. "Do let me know if there's any way I can assist. It's... well, I do want to help. It's quite literally in my programming, after all!"


	4. Checking In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her absence hasn't gone unnoticed.

There was a discussion being had in the dusty catacombs of Old North Church. Desdemona's fingers curled around a cigarette as she stared at the cracked chalkboard on the wall. Codenames of Railroad members - far too many of which had been crossed off recently, lost in the fight against the Institute.

Another name, at the very bottom of the list, was the cause for concern today. Their newest ally, from an unlikely source: a long silent vault to the northwest.

"Something on your mind, Des?" Deacon always had the uncanny ability to sneak up on people without notice, though everyone was used to this by now. Desdemona didn't bat an eye at his sudden appearance.

"The new kid, Scrapper. No one's heard from her in... what, two weeks? At least. You were keeping tabs on her before. You know her usual haunts."

"Just a few."

"Find her."

* * *

Katherine had spent almost the entirety of today in bed, very conscious of how much recovery sucked. Stimpaks weren't an ideal option for dealing with burns... one of those facts she had picked up somewhere, and never forgotten.

While they did accelerate healing, they also resulted in a higher likelihood of contracture... not something she wanted to risk.

She had tried to push herself too hard the previous day. It had only been a week since the crash - something her nightmares were far too keen on reminding her of. Being home sick was hard enough when the world was still in one piece, but now, even while she was in the roughest shape of her life... she still felt like she had to be out there, she had to be doing something.

There were tears welling in her eyes.

It didn't surprise her. Katherine sat, curled in on herself. Even at the best of times, there was always that thought gnawing at the back of her mind, that she was useless, that she should be doing more. Now, though...

She wasn't allowed long alone in her head, however. Not today.

Deacon leaned in through the living room window, across the sill; all the glass had been knocked out long ago.

"Yo! Kate. You in there?" Dez would have chewed him out for not using codenames, but out here? That would be more suspicious.

He wasn't exactly subtle, but this was quite literally her home. Would make sense for her to be staying here.

His voice echoed through the hallway, and pulled Katherine out of her thoughts. It took her a good few moments to decide on what to do. With a groan, she swung herself out of bed, and got to her feet. The linoleum tile was cold against her feet. She missed her slippers, but they were long gone.

With a blue bathrobe draped across her shoulders - more for comfort than for concealing anything, given how much of jet was wrapped in bandages - she shuffled out to the living room.

"Oh, Deacon. Mmnm, it is you." She rubbed at the right side of her face, at the bandages. Everything underneath was itchy.

Deacon's eyebrows shot up over the top of his sunglasses. "Ho. Ly. Shit. What happened to you? You piss off the brotherhood or something? They throw a vertibird at you?"

And that pushed her over the edge; Katherine's immediate reaction was to start bawling.

Deacon winced and held his hands up. "Hey hey hey whoa, whoa. What's going on?"

"That's exactly what happened." came a voice from behind the Railroad agent.

Deacon nearly yelped as he pushed himself away from the window, bolting to a standing position. He was not used to being the one who was snuck up on.

Preston frowned at Deacon as he spun around to face the Minuteman.

"A little too on the nose, huh?" He shrugged, apologetic. "Look, I didn't know. Honest."

"Yeah, sure. And who, exactly, are you?" Preston looked him over.

"Just a friend. We worked together once or twice."

"Hmm." Preston didn't think he was lying, but he sure wasn't presenting the full story.

"You've got folks worried, you know." Deacon's attention returned to Kate, though this time he simply entered through the front door, placing himself behind the sofa she sat on.

The tears hadn't quite stopped, but the crying had. "Yeah, well... 'm not in any shape to go anywhere."

"I can see that." Deacon's voice softened. "I'm just glad to see you're still around. Felt like the folks back at HQ were gonna start taking bets on if you were dead or just ran off."

"Well, it's neither of those." Kate pulled her legs up, twisting around on the couch to sit with her back against the arm, staring out moodily at Deacon. "Look... Whatever you guys need, you're gonna have to find someone else to do it."

"Yeah, I'll tell Dez, but I swear, that's not what I'm here for. We look out for our own - and that includes you, whether or not you believe it."

She shifted on the couch, and looked away, unwilling to make eye contact, and fighting the urge to say all the things she was thinking. That she wasn't worth the time. The effort. She'd be easy enough to replace.

It wouldn't do her any good.


	5. Unwrapped and Unsealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and taking steps to move forward.

Curie said the bandages were unnecessary now, but Kate was hesitant to remove them. She had seen the mess that was made of her arm, when the gauze wraps were changed.

She had pointedly avoided looking at the rest.

She ran her fingers across her shoulder - she could feel the stitches underneath the bandages. Those would have to come out too.

Her right arm was nothing but a faint ache underneath buzzing nerves. Not quite numb like it had been the past few days, but it certainly didn't feel _right_. She stretched it out, cautious, and flexed her fingers a few times, as if trying to coax feeling back into her limb.

It didn't work.

"Ah, here, let me assist you." Curie was gentle, or as much as she could be, pinchers grasping the gauze around her shoulder and pulling it away from Katherine's body, before deftly snipping through it. The bandages peeled away with a hint of hesitation as they separated from her healing wounds. The burns painted a swatch of red across her shoulder, down her arm, wrapping around her side. The skin was still raw and tender, delicate as it began to knit back together, recovering from everything inflicted upon her.

One of Curie's eyes dipped forward, mechanical iris whirring as she examined the stitches across Kate's collarbone. The gouge was healing well, though the same couldn't be said for the damaged nerves underneath. The Miss Nanny brought her claws up - despite the robot's appearance, she was surprisingly deft, moving with mathematical precision as she snipped the stitches free of each other. "Shall I leave the removal to you? Some things are best left to the human touch, so to say. I would not wish to cause you any pain."

"That's... yeah, that's fine with me, Curie. Thank you."

Curie's claws moved up towards the bandages still around Katherine's face, but Kate was quick to intercept her, placing a hand on the metal appendage. "No, um. Give me a bit. I'll get those." There was hesitation in her voice.

"Are you sure?"

"Mmm-hmm."

* * *

She placed her hands on either side of the aged sink in her bathroom, staring at her reflection in the scuffed mirror.

Offhandedly, she wondered how the glass had stayed intact over two centuries. Sheer luck, really. Same as her. Katherine made a halfhearted effort to wipe the grime off the mirror. It didn't do much; most of it was damage, scuffs and chips, rather than surface dirt. It was all just idle thoughts and actions as she tried to distract herself.

She had pulled out the stitches on her chest already. Those weren't the issue. It wasn't even the action of removing the bandages, really. It was the thought of whatever lay underneath.

Best to rip the bandaid off quickly, she thought, and she couldn't help but chuckle, just a bit. Never had a saying been quite so on the nose.

It didn't hurt. At least, not compared to that first day. She shut her eyes as she thought about it all. Her memory of the day was fuzzy, at best, like so many other days. Maybe that was for the best.

Katherine had always been tolerant. She stayed quiet, rarely spoke up, and rarely complained - even when it came to pain. So this - the constant ache, the stress of the past days - she had been silent.

 _Besides_ , she thought to herself, _I made it out. I'm not allowed to complain_.

Kate stared down at the pile of lightly stained gauze in the sink, and closed her eyes. This was stupid. All the dread swirling in her mind when she knew, more or less, what to expect.

And so she met her own gaze in the glass's reflection.

All she could muster was a deep sigh, cocking her head to the left, scanning over the forming scars that wound their way across her face, webbed over her cheek, creeping across the bridge of her nose and crawling across her brow.

She had never cared much for her face before. This wasn't helping the situation.

Scars. She didn't mind them, before. Little lines across her hands, her arms pockmarked with tiny blemishes, inbetween all the freckles. And those were just the visible ones. None of them had much history behind them. Just the occasional minor incident. Fingers pinched in between sharp tools, nervous habits, a misstep and a slice on exposed metal.

It was the story behind these new ones that bothered her. A reminder of how easy it would be for this world to take her out, for this new life to end all too suddenly.

That was it. That's what it all encapsulated. That one fear.

She closed her eyes, letting her head tip backward with a soft groan. Something she tried so hard to keep out of mind, and here was a reminder of it, painted across her.

Maybe she could just shut herself back away. Maybe that would be for the best.

* * *

The faint squeak of the front door gave Valentine away. He wondered, offhand, how long it had been making that noise, and if anyone had any plans to fix it. It was a silly thought; there were far more important things to be done around here. The door _worked_ , and that's what mattered.

He had left Sanctuary last night for the first time since... since they had both made it back. It was only a brief trip - back to Diamond City to check in on the agency - and, it seemed, to do a little shopping. The former was planned; the latter was not. Nick would be lying to himself if he said she wasn't on his mind.

"Hey, Katherine. I brought you something. Myrna got it in - not that she'd sell it to me, mind you, but Percy's far easier to deal with. It's a tin of that drink you said you liked." Nick turned the battered container over in his hand. "Pretty sure they weren't legally allowed to call it 'juice', going by these ingredients."

Nick's voice pulled Kate out of her mire of thoughts - for a brief moment, she forgot what she was worried about. That moment lasted long enough for her to step into the hallway, looking down towards the living room.

The synth had set a few items on the kitchen counter - the tin of drink mix most notable among them. He stood with a tattered folder under his arm, papers stuffed haphazardly within. Kate's footsteps caught his attention, and he looked over.

"Oh, Kate, you're - _oh._ " his eyes widened, and he offered a wavering gesture. "The, uh... you've got the bandages off." He tapped the folder on the counter, trying to fit everything back together, before setting it down, distracted.

Katherine's shoulders sunk, and she averted her gaze. A quiet "Yeah." was all she offered in response. Her attention drifted after a moment, and she turned, considering for a moment if she'd retreat back into her room.

But... no. _Why?_ she asked herself. It was nothing he hadn't seen. He had been there at the most terrifying moment in her life. He had seen the worst of it.

She slouched back against the faded wall paneling and sunk down, taking a seat on the floor with a sigh.

Nick stepped over and crouched beside her. "Hey. You holding up okay?"

"I -" Katherine hung her head. It was hard for her to speak honestly. Always had been. But Nick deserved the truth.

He'd see through her, anyway.

"... no. Not - not really." She dug her fingers into the sleeves of the vault suit tied around her waist - it would have been too snug against her injuries, so she wore it rolled down, substituting a simple tank top for comfort. The downside, of course, was that it concealed little of the burns that criss-crossed her right side. "I'm trying."

Nick settled down, his joints creaking as he sat next to Kate. She looked away, still keeping her focus on the linoleum floor.

There was a moment of silence, of hesitation, before Valentine reached over and took her right hand in his left.

"Hey. I gotta say. I'm damn glad you made it through. What would I do without my partner?"

Kate shook her head. "You'd find another." Part of her wanted to pull her hand away, to break off. But... she buried that feeling, instead squeezing his hand as tightly as she could manage.

Nick scoffed. "Wouldn't be the same."

"Might be less dangerous." Kate, despite everything, couldn't help but smile faintly.

He chuckled in response, and Katherine kept that smile. That was one of her favorite sounds, nowadays. Her head dipped, finding a spot to rest on his shoulder, careful of her still-healing wounds.

"... thank you."

"Heh... you're welcome, but what for?"

"Anything. Everything. Just... for being here."

"You couldn't keep me away if you tried."

She still couldn't bring herself to look at him. Not directly. But she felt a weight lift off her shoulders - just a bit. With Nick here, things felt a little better. A little easier.

Katherine was glad for his company. Maybe more than she expected to be.

* * *

It wasn't until later in the afternoon that she took notice of the folders Nick had brought with him that day. She stood in the kitchen, running her fingers over the stained manilla. It was filled with scraps and cuttings, notes and photographs that were as old as she was. She didn't open the folder - it wasn't hers, after all, but her curiosity had been piqued.

"Nick? What's all this?"

"Hmm?" He stepped over, and followed her gaze to the case files. "Oh. An old case. One I've been working on for years. Thought you might like to help out with it. You know, give you a way to keep busy." He hooked a metal finger under the front of the folder and flipped it open.

Anything to occupy her was welcome right now. Kate slid a few of the clippings around, spreading them across the countertop. She scrutinized the largest of them.

An old front page of the Boston Bugle. They hadn't published anything in two hundred years, what with the whole nuclear war and all.

"Eddie Winter? I... I think I remember that name. Big deal in the news." She leaned against the counter and looked up to Nick "This guy was from my time..." she sighed. "I don't think I'll ever get over how weird it is to say that." She tapped one of the photographs. "So there's got to be something about this guy. What's your interest here?"

Nick sighed, and shut his eyes. "It's... personal, in a way." Turning his attention to the papers, he flipped through them, eventually pulling out another article. "Here. I think this says a lot."

Katherine scanned the article and then, partway through it... "Detective Valentine. The other Nick." She frowned. "Winter killed his partner?" She held the article gingerly, almost afraid the paper would crumble in her grasp. "You remember this bastard, don't you."

"Sure do."

Kate paused. "Nick, this is from so long ago... he's got to be dead now."

"You'd think so, but -" he scattered the papers again - more articles, old police writeups, even medical records. "I got proof that there's more goin' on here. And it doesn't sound good."

"Radiation treatments? You're not saying what I think you are..."

"Yeah. Eddie Winter, Boston's greatest scumbag, might have gone and turned himself into a ghoul. Hell, might be the first one out there."

She shook her head, incredulous. "I don't believe it. That kind of thing would have made it into the news, right?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. I've got my suspicions - that he went into hiding after this."

"What're the odds he would have stayed in Boston for this long?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But I just want to know that the bastard's gone. And if he's not..."

"Revenge?"

"No. Justice."

"A favor to the Nick from the old world, huh?" She straightened up. "Yeah. I get it. One hell of a cold case, though."

"Then you're the right person to help me with this."

"Is that a freezer joke?"

"Absolutely."


	6. Tiny Model Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Distractions found in the ruins of Concord.

Concord was mostly empty these days. Katherine supposed she was grateful for that - at least no more raiders had taken up residence. She supposed word had spread after the firefight, months ago.

She kicked at a bit of trash on the street, hands tucked in her pockets.

"It's still weird to see this place so... trashed." She admitted to Preston.

"I bet. I mean... I can only imagine what it used to be like." He stared up at the tattered banner still hanging over the main road. Incredible what managed to hang on after so many years. "So. Back to the museum, huh? Got something up your sleeve?"

Kate held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. "Just my arms. Sorry. Bad joke." That was most of her jokes, really. It kept her mind off of... well, everything else. "Nah, nothing big. Just... wanted to do something to distract myself."

The door squeaked quietly as they stepped into the lobby. It looked... well, exactly the same as when they left. Katherine couldn't help but wonder if anyone else had stuck their head inside the building.

Not that it really mattered.

Now that the building was quiet, it gave her a chance to actually look around. Even with the floor falling out in places, she was still familiar with the layout. She'd been here more than a few times, in the distant past.

Hmm. It didn't feel that distant, but...

Preston stuck close to her as she combed her way through a few rooms.

"This used to be the gift shop," she explained, crouching down to pick through a toppled cabinet. "It was mostly books. They didn't have the cool stuff some other museums had, but -" Katherine shrugged. Wondered how many people nowadays had ever seen a gift shop.

Preston joined her, leaning against his laser musket as he watched Kate pick through ancient inventory. "Books, huh?"

"Yeah. Mostly non-fiction. History stuff, obviously. A couple dramas, though, I think. Imaginative retellings of dubious accuracy. Entertaining, though, if that's your kinda thing." She quirked an eyebrow at the paperback she just put her hands on. "Romance novels too, it seems." She chuckled, and passed the book over to Preston. It was dirty and worn, but intact.

He couldn't help but laugh at the scene on the front. A rugged, shirtless soldier and his swooning love interest. "You think there's still a market for this kinda thing?"

"There's always an audience for cheesy love stories."

There was a faint clatter of metal against metal as she lifted up a little wooden box, eyes sparkling. "Oh, look at that! I was hoping there might still be some of these."

Preston leaned over to get a better look. Spray paint stenciled across the lid - "Toy soldiers, huh?"

"Yeah. These were the fancy ones. Diecast metal. Paint 'em yourself."

"Sounds like more work."

"It's part of the appeal. Always wanted some, but they were expensive."

"Parents said no?"

"I'm sure they would have, but... nah, I just couldn't justify it. General Atomics didn't pay that well."

Preston smiled. "Why am I not surprised you never grew out of these things?" He laughed. No teasing, no judgement.

"Because you know me better than most." She slid the top off the box to take a look at the tiny treasures inside. Little soldiers from a variety of eras, nestled in shredded paper and straw.

Gently, she lifted out one of the last in the line, one that was just a bit bigger than the rest. A tiny suit of T-45 power armor, the scrap of paper underneath summarizing the Battle of Anchorage. "You know, it's funny. For so long I only ever saw these on TV. In the news." She turned it over. It was heavy, despite its size - cast out of lead, probably. "I remember... they started showing up around Boston. I think that's when it really sunk in, that things were worse than I thought. We both know how that ended." Katherine shook her head. She was a little melancholy about it all, maybe. "Never thought I'd get to run in one of them, that's for sure. Certainly never thought I'd have my own."

"Everything sure took one hell of a turn."

"Big understatement, but yeah." She tucked it back into the box and closed it up, ghosting it under her arm as she got to her feet. "It's not the kinda history I hoped I'd live through, but... I'm glad I _lived_ through it."

"So," Preston slung his laser musket over his shoulder as they made their way out of the museum. "Is that what today was for? Needed to pick up some new toys?"

"Pretty much. I don't know what brought them to mind, but I couldn't stop thinking about those little soldiers today. Realized there wasn't gonna be anything stopping me from heading over here and taking some, if there were any left." She shrugged. It was silly, really. Just an impulse she had decided to follow. The kind of thing she tried to never do, in the past. Kate was still the kind to overthink just about every action she took, but this... it was an inconsequential thing, really. The outcome wouldn't be life altering. Didn't matter if the toys were there or not - though it was a pleasant surprise to find them. Mostly? Mostly it kept her from _wondering_. If she hadn't gone to see, she'd be thinking about it for... well, for a long time.

She blew a stray bit of hair out of her face, quiet as they made their way back to Sanctuary. It was the first time she had really gotten out of the settlement since everything happened with the vertibird.

A chill ran down her spine, and she shook, almost imperceptibly. It was good to get out again, but...

"Hey, something wrong?" Preston paused, and looked back at Kate. She had slowed down. Not consciously.

"No, I..." She stopped herself from the lie. "Yeah. Something's wrong. I don't know what. Everything feels... wrong." She shook her head. "Wrong in a different way than before. Can't quite put it into words."

Preston went quiet. "You nearly _died_ , Kate." His voice was hushed - he knew it was true, but it was the first time he ever said it aloud. "I'd be concerned if everything still felt the same."

Katherine's shoulders slumped, and she turned off to the side, averting her gaze. It was true. And she hadn't _forgotten_. She never would. But... Preston had a point. She never considered the indirect effects. She had the scars across her side - why wouldn't there be deeper ones? "Yeah," she scuffed her boots across the aged concrete. "No - you're right. I should have realized..." she trailed off. Whatever it was, the specific words escaped her.

It wasn't until Preston approached her that she spoke up again. "I don't want to think about that. I don't want to think about any of it." She rubbed the right side of her face, pushing her glasses askew. "I'm sorry. This was just... I wanted to get out of my head for a little bit." A sigh. "Didn't work very well."

Preston found himself hesitant. His instinct was to reach out, to offer a comforting arm around her shoulder, but he was still wary around her injuries. "You don't have to apologize."

"I know, I know." Katherine sighed, resigned. "I can't help it, I'm -" She managed to cut herself off before apologizing again, groaning slightly. A habit of hers, ingrained after her younger years, of being told she was a problem - and of so many years trying to make herself less of one.

"I think," Preston began, "that we should get you home. And that you should tell me how you're gonna paint those little guys." He knew she had a workshop setup - and that she spent hours in there at times, on big projects, and little ones. From power armor to little model kits.

When Kate lit up at the question, he knew he was doing the right thing. "Paint," she closed her eyes for a moment. "I don't have nearly as many colors as I used to." Sad. "Not like Hubris Comics is gonna get any more shipments in." She tucked her hands back into her pockets, fiddling with the lining as they started up the hill back towards Sanctuary. "I've got enough. They're probably not gonna be historically accurate though."

Preston chuckled. "Well, I'll tell you now, I really don't think anyone's gonna complain about that."

"Heh. Yeah, you're right. Maybe I'll do something funky with the power armor. Something other than military drab."

"Hot rod flames? There were these folks not too far from Quincy. Called themselves the Atom Cats."

"Now that sounds like fun."


End file.
